Delhi Max Hospital's licence cancelled over newborn's death

The Delhi government on Friday cancelled the licence of Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh. The decision comes nearly a week after one of the premature twins born on November 30 and declared dead was found alive by the parents while being taken for last rites. The infant later died at a private clinic on December 6.

As per an order of the Directorate General of Health Services, the licence of the hospital stands cancelled until further orders. Max has also been directed not to admit new patients and to cancel all outpatient department (OPD) services with immediate effect.

Delhi health minister Satyender Jain, however, said patients already admitted there would not be affected. Hospital authorities have been told to let patients’ families decide whether or not they want to continue treatment at Max.
The order says a committee constituted on December 1 reported a “prima facie case of gross medical lapses on part of the hospital authorities.”

Lapses cited by the committee include a failure to keep a record of vital medical entries and “missing” signs of life in the male infant before handing the baby over to its parents.



Jain said the hospital was a regular offender and that three notices had been served in earlier cases too. The last one sent on November 22 was mainly for not earmarking beds for patients belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS), as per conditions set by the government for providing hospitals with subsidised lands.

At the peak of the dengue outbreak, all hospitals were given permission for 10-20% increase in bed strength. “It was found that the hospital at Shalimar Bagh had been running these beds even after the period allowed and was using them for people other than fever patients,” Jain said. Other notices were for the “pathetic” conditions and “discriminatory” services found in the EWS OPD and waiting area at the hospital during an inspection in November.

While a press statement said the authorities “will explore all options available,” a Max spokesperson declined to comment on whether the hospital would consider going to court. Terming the ruling “harsh,” the statement added, “We believe that even if there is an individual error of judgement, holding the hospital responsible is unfair and will severely limit the ability for patients to access treatment. This will compound the shortage of hospital facilities in the National Capital.'

According to Max India’s investor presentation of February 2017, the hospital is the third-largest by bed size in NCR, with 275 beds.